


Ophelia

by BrokenApril



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-14
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-10-05 06:28:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10299692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrokenApril/pseuds/BrokenApril
Summary: He can drown his sorrows without fear.Tooru's friend Riina writes a play. He and Iwaizumi are the leads. They're also a couple in the play. But neither has admitted their feelings.Inspired by Theatre of Lisa Mantchev's Eyes like Stars.





	1. Nightmares

He lay back in the bathtub, settling into its warmth. After a moment he let himself sink beneath the surface, his lips parted just a bit. 

The water that flooded his lungs was icy cold. Bits of ice scratched his throat and burned his lungs. His body screamed for air, for a stop to the burning pain. Yet blackness wouldn't come, no matter how hard he begged. It stung. It burned. It should not. It never had. 

 

Tooru burst awake, coughing and hacking, his lungs still burning. His head burned as well, eyes watering, skull throbbing. 

"Oikawa?" 

Tooru's shoulders stiffened. He rubbed at his eyes, to no avail, instead they burned and the tears still flowed. "It's nothing, Iwa-chan." His shaking voice said otherwise. 

"Shit. What happened?" The bed sank beside him. A hand rested on his shoulder. 

"Just a nightmare..." 

"The drowning one?" 

"Yes..." 

Silence. Then arms wrapped around him, pulling him close. "It's just a dream. I promise." 

 

That was Tooru wished would happen. Instead he woke from those nightmares to find no one. He would wait until the tears faded then go in search of Riina. She would make room in her bed and he would stay there until morning. None of the players questioned it, though perhaps they wondered. She was new to him, more so than Iwaizumi, but somehow he could be closer to her. He'd known Iwaizumi for years, but couldn't bring himself to share his nightmares with him. As though Iwaizumi might mock him, though he knew better than that. 

Riina smoothed his hair as she held him to her chest. She loved holding him like this. Tooru loved it to. Her comfort, her warmth, almost made the nightmares worth it. Almost. Here, nightmares, were much more than just dreams. 

The Theatre was their home, as far back as any of them could recall. Tooru couldn't have told you how old he was, as his memories beyond a few years back were faded and vague. He only knew that Iwaizumi had been there the whole time. Both he and Iwaizumi were players, taking on mostly minor roles here and there in the Theatre's productions. Iwaizumi was often cast, not as the handsome hero, but as his sensible companion. Tooru often played a wily prince or mischievous sprite. Riina, though, was not a player, but the Theatre manager's daughter and an aspiring playwright herself. 

"I'm almost finished with my play."

"Oh?" Tooru took Riina's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together. Her hands were so small, fingers so thin. 

"Yes. Father said he would read it tomorrow. The first act at least." Tooru hummed, holding her hand to his chest. "Would you be in it?" 

"You want me?" The words were out before he even fathomed the question.

"Of course. The role was designed for you."

Tooru hurriedly sat up, not loosing his grip on her hand. He looked at Riina wide eyed and she returned a bashful grin. "For me? Why?"

"Because you're beautiful." 

Heat rose to his cheeks. He knew he looked nice, the attention he got from various players was proof of that, but to hear the words from Riina. It wasn't attraction speaking, but the praise of an artist. She saw something in him. Something beautiful. "What sort of role is it?" 

"Shouldn't you ask about the whole play?" 

"Ah, yes." He relaxed beside her again, letting her words drift over him. 

Riina chuckled, squeezing his hand firmly. "It's about a lovely boy who falls in love with a nearby prince. So he begins to work at the palace to see him. Trouble is he's fae, of the water, so every night he has to bathe in the river. He and the prince become friends. He even becomes a personal servant to the prince. Eventually the prince finds out about his late night trips so he orders him to bathe in his rooms instead of going down to the river. Then, this act I'm not finished with yet, the prince discovers his secret. When he was young his sister had him go to a fortune teller with him. She predicted he would marry one of the water. So he tells the boy, quickly insisting that he isn't saying this because of the fortune, but that he genuinely loves him."

"And how does it end?" 

"They end up together of course."

"Even though he's the prince?"

"His sister is the eldest, so she inherits the throne. Besides they can adopt a child." 

Tooru grinned. Just like Riina to ignore the rules. "So I would be the fae. Who would play the prince?" 

"Iwaizumi." 

Heat rose to Tooru's cheeks at the thought. "Why him?" 

"You know exactly why." 

He did. She knew about his feelings. She encouraged him. Apparently she'd gotten tired of waiting. 

"I placed you in those roles before I knew. You're both perfect for the roles." 

"You think so?" 

"Of course. What other beauty can steal Iwaizumi's heart?"


	2. Lunch Date

"Ne, Iwaizumi." 

Tooru stood beside Riina, his arm wrapped through hers, though it was more for him than her. Riina waved over at Iwaizumi, who slowly made his way towards them. 

"What's up, Rin-chan?" Iwaizumi smiled at her, then his eyes flicked to Tooru, teasing in his eyes. "Is he giving you trouble?"

Riina chuckled, while Tooru stuck out his tongue. "Not at all. I had a question."

"Oh?" Still Iwaizumi's eyes hadn't moved from Tooru. Perhaps he thought Tooru had put her up to it. 

"Would you be in my play?" 

Here his gaze returned to her, eyes widening a bit. "Me?"

"Mmm. I wrote the role just for you."

"Why?" 

Riina sighed through her nose. "What's with you two? We're friends! I think you're cute. Obviously I'll want to write the role to match the player." 

"Isn't it the player's job to match the role?" Tooru asked, grinning.

"Oh shush!" Here she reached over to ruffle Tooru's hair. "The point is for the two to meld. It doesn't matter which way!" 

Iwaizumi snorted, a grin tugging at his lips. "I'd love to." 

"Great! Let's have lunch so I can tell you about the play!" 

"Sounds good." 

Once Iwaizumi had gone back to work, Tooru leaned against Riina, smooshing her to the railing on which she leaned. She pushed back against him, but only briefly, before settling into his hug. "Why didn't you just tell him now?" 

"It needs to be just us." So not him. Riina didn't even need to see his face him to sense the slight hurt. "It's a different role. Can't have you mixing them up. Besides I can't hint at things with you there."

"Hint?" 

Riina only hummed a reply, taking one of his hands. "I'll let you know how it went. Come over tonight?" 

"Of course." 

 

Hajime didn't question Riina when she took him back in the prop room for lunch. Had it been anyone else the risk of the prop manager's wrath would have been too great, but he liked Riina and had even given her a small corner to work in, away from the noise of rehearsal. Riina moved a stack of papers off her table, making room for their lunch. He settled in beside her, opening her drink for her. He always did that for Oikawa too. 

"Thanks." Riina took it from him, taking a sip. "Mind if I talk while we eat?"

"Not at all." 

Riina smiled, picking up her chicken wrap. "In the play you'll be playing a prince. Tooru is the other main character, a young fae boy." Hajime couldn't completely keep a smile off his face at the wonder and excitiment in her eyes as she spoke. 

"The story starts with the fae seeing the prince for the first time and immediately being entranced. So he gets a job at the palace. Eventually they get closer and the prince has him stay as a personal servant.

"Thing is the boy is fae and must sneak down to the river every night. The prince finds out, thinking he just likes to bathe, so he has him bathe in his rooms. The prince occasionally sits beside the tub so they can talk. One night the prince discovers the boys secret. Immediately he remembers something from years ago. He visited a fortune teller with his sister. She predicted he would marry a fae. The boy panics thinking he'll hate him, but the prince assures him he loves him and mentions the prediction." 

Hajime hummed. "Sounds just like you. How does it end?"

"They get together. And, before you ask like Tooru, the sister becomes ruler and they adopt children." 

Hajime chuckled. "Perfect. Has your father approved?" 

"He's reading it today." 

No doubt he would approve. The theatre manager couldn't say no to his daughter. "What does Tooru think?" 

"He likes the role. He's excited to be in it with you." 

They finished lunch in relative silence, with light comments here and there. Just as they finished eating Hajime managed to ask what he'd thought of earlier, but ignored as too silly. "You made us a couple on purpose, didn't you?" Riina only shrugged, but that was answer enough. 

 

"What did he think?" 

"He seems excited, in his non too obvious way. He caught on to me making you a couple."

"And?" 

Riina's heart hurt at the worry in Tooru's voice. Was she the only one who could see how much Iwaizumi cared for Tooru? No he had not admitted it, perhaps he wasn't yet aware himself, but it was painfully obvious to her. "I think he likes the idea." She had no proof, but still she knew. Perhaps because she was an artist, perhaps because she didn't have such feelings herself. 

"He does?" 

Riina pulled Tooru closer, snuggling against him. None of the players noticed his constant fear of inadequacy. Perhaps Iwaizumi knew. She should ask. "Yes. You trust me don't you?" 

"Yes." He did. He really did. More than himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be getting into the play itself next chapter, the scenes will be much more vague for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments help so much.


End file.
